Difference in tops?

    Carried over from another thread:


    Quote

    "In Texas, yes. That sun is brutal. But as much (or little) as I drive it, I'm looking for the right top deal. shy-squared"

    I am coming to a conclusion that there must be a fundamental difference in tops that I am just not seeing where our Sport Top spends most of it's summers in the garage because when installed, it tends to retain so much heat that it becomes very uncomfortable under a hot sun? But, on the flip side, because of this quality it adds comfort during the typically off season riding? :/


    Bill

    this is my top. I love it...first of all if you wanted to mount a luggage rack you could.


    second, the original top comes with two dark tinted plexiglass panels. They do get hot in the sun. Since I put the mirrored stuff on it the under side of the panels is just slightly warm. Before you would almost burn your finger. The mirror reflects the heat. I would do this on every top. Using black or dark colored cloth is still going to be hot. Mirror stuff made a huge difference.



    Having had some serious sun burns when I was younger, and with my current meds causing sun sensitivity, I try to avoid daylight rides. Although I ride mostly at night, I purchased a Twist Dynamics Top during the 2015 Black Friday sales after stopping by another owner's house and testing getting in and out of the Slingshot with the top in place. My Wife and I both found the top makes it much easier to get in or out. My only complaint about my TD Top is the front edge tends to block vision to traffic lights that are mounted close to the stop line.

    Edited once, last by BKL ().

    Given that I am one of those Texas folks, yeah, it became a necessity. I did not have a top on my 1st two SS and I was adamant that I wasn't going to get one. But getting roasted in the Texas sun was just too brutal, even if the cockpit got warmer. Ask wokka - he knows how dark I was getting.


    So when I decided to do the top, I did my research and started checking the different tops available. I found other peoples SS's at shows and checked them out. Sat in different SS with different tops. For me, the choice came down to head clearance. Most of the tops didn't have enough that I could even sit in the drivers seat, much less get in or out. The stock Polaris Sling Shade was within 1/4" of my head, I couldn't (easily) get in or out of the full frame ones. Even the soft top was too low for my sight line. The only one that was fully tall enough for me was the Gull Wing.


    And when I found the top I wanted, I actually made a kit deal with the dealer for SS #3 so that it lowered the total cost.

    I bought the Stowaway soft top because of the ease of storage. My wife and I love baking in the sun, but realized that there may be times when we wanted shade or some rain protection....

    We decided against a hard top because you couldn't just take it off when you were on a ride and store it and put it back on later. You have to leave it somewhere.

    With the stowaway Soft Top, we just roll it up and it self stores on the center bar until it is needed again.

    @Kevin Attention: I do wish that the front bar that goes from the drivers mirror to the passenger mirror was a little taller though. There are times when traffic lights are blocked and if you are taller than say 5' 10" or so, the bar could be in your line of sight. ;)

    Most of the accessories on our SlingShot have been purchased second hand, our MeanSling Sport Top is one of the few that we purchased new mainly because it was reasonably priced. It would be nice if after Patrick and Tina get re-situated that they can return and once again offer their quality products!

    Bill

    Quote from echoraven

    It seems like there were no decent discounts on tops this year...

    Not that it was a HUGE discount, but the gloss black TwistDynamics gullwing top went for ~1900 during Black Friday week on SlingshotOnly. Regular price was $2600. It has gone back up a bit but sits at $2150 now. That's about as big of a dip I've seen on any of the $2k+ tops recently.

    Quote from Hellproof

    Not that it was a HUGE discount, but the gloss black TwistDynamics gullwing top went for ~1900 during Black Friday week on SlingshotOnly. Regular price was $2600. It has gone back up a bit but sits at $2150 now. That's about as big of a dip I've seen on any of the $2k+ tops recently.

    Poop biscuits.

    I would have jumped on it. LOVE that gullwing. The current price is decent.

    As a veteran I qualify for their membership program (which may give an additional discount); sent them my DD214, but never heard back from them.

    Quote from echoraven

    Poop biscuits.

    I would have jumped on it. LOVE that gullwing. The current price is decent.

    As a veteran I qualify for their membership program (which may give an additional discount); sent them my DD214, but never heard back from them.

    Slingshots: making children out of adults since 2014

    Quote from echoraven

    Poop biscuits.

    I would have jumped on it. LOVE that gullwing. The current price is decent.

    As a veteran I qualify for their membership program (which may give an additional discount); sent them my DD214, but never heard back from them.

    I didn't see them advertising the sale here, only on the Facebook slingshot groups, so that's probably how you missed it. Reach out to Joe Ranuro over there and he should get you taken care of.


    Design wise, its my second favorite behind the slingshade, but overall form and function is better. The lexan is tinted and you can see street lights straight through it if needed. Way more head room than the slingshade. The gullwings are removable as well for a t-top feel. I still prefer the looks of the slingshade though.


    On the gullwing, I have my slingmods rear view mirror mounted to the underside with a Ram mount suction cup and coupling, though I probably could have gone cheaper with a UTV rollbar mirror but I needed something I could mount on the center post when I take the top completely off. My EZTag is stuck under it and works through the lexan for tollroads, and passersby will never know its there. I also stuck a couple of puck lights on the underside in the font corners of the driver and passenger side as map lights.


    I haven't had the sling long enough to see what the Texas summer heat will be like, but I have a couple of ideas for cooling involving the gullwing that I'll do in the spring/summer if needed.

    Quote from Bikerndiver

    I bought the Stowaway soft top because of the ease of storage. My wife and I love baking in the sun, but realized that there may be times when we wanted shade or some rain protection....

    We decided against a hard top because you couldn't just take it off when you were on a ride and store it and put it back on later. You have to leave it somewhere.

    With the stowaway Soft Top, we just roll it up and it self stores on the center bar until it is needed again.

    @Kevin Attention: I do wish that the front bar that goes from the drivers mirror to the passenger mirror was a little taller though. There are times when traffic lights are blocked and if you are taller than say 5' 10" or so, the bar could be in your line of sight. ;)

    I think if I were ever to try a top again this is the top I would look at the closest - being able to "put it up and take it down" out on the road is a very desirable option when like me you dont really want t top

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    Quote from Lowpt2001

    I love our Bullet speed soft top for this very reason!

    I agree that having the removable canvas gives the same ability, but I personally dont care for the roll cage look - this is also true of the TD top that is very similar - - the T-Top style frame of Kev's top doesnt look so much like something off a dune buggy when the canvas is stowed away


    as aside note I have no intention in investing in another top any time soon - having already bought one that I never use I just dont have any current interest

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies